How It Began.

After celebrating my Big 5-0 birthday, my girlfriends, Hazel, Erika, and I had a great idea. We decided that from here on out we would celebrate each birthday any of us have that ends with a zero. Erika’s birthday would be the next to end with a zero. Can you say “Girl’s Trip”? There’s no better place to celebrate her birthday day than on Maui. If you are unaware, Maui is an island that sits in the central pacific ocean and is part of the chain of Hawaiian Islands.

We somehow manage to get our schedules lined up and off we go, watch out Maui here we come. I hold many wonderful memories of this trip but I will not be sharing them all with you. A girls trip can consist of a lot of talking and a lot of cocktails and I won’t be spilling the beans on any of that. I do however have three points to share, The Road to Hana, Napili Bay Resort, and Hawaiian food.

The Road to Hana

The Hana Highway is approximately a 64 mile long combination of Hawaiian routes 36 and 360 and where it truly starts and ends is up for debate. This being said I will only be sharing my most memorable places and not all of the lovely places along this eye candy drive. There’s a poster in our condo’s lobby that states “The Road to Hana is the Crown-Jewel of Hawaiian road trips” and I couldn’t agree more with this statement. The Road to Hana is a popular destination activity and you should plan 6-8 hours to enjoy it fully. Remember, you’re on island time now, things move slower here. Enjoy this drive.

Our first true stop was the Waikamoi Ridge Trail just past mile marker 9. The parking area is small, as with most stopping points on this drive, if you’re driving too fast you'll miss your chance to park. We spend about an hour hiking the bamboo lined trail loop with its large Mango trees and quick glimpses of the ocean. The ground was wet from a recent rain storm which added to the tranquil beauty here.

Next stop was the Garden of Eden Arboretum. This place charges an entry fee but offers you lush views. From inside this 26 acre garden there are many trails, ocean views, flowers and a place to view Puohokamoa Falls. We all three agreed this was the highlight of our day. The grounds are lovely here.

Following the Garden of Eden we parked along the roadside, past mile marker 16 to take a swim in Ching’s Pond. This may not be the prettiest place but it was so much fun to swim around in. We had a nice time knowing we could just pull over and swim in a Hawaiian pool of water, which is what Hawaii dreams are made of.

We made many more stops along the way but when we reached Honokalnai Black Sand Beach we thought we found heaven. Black Sand Beach sits approximately 3 miles north of the town of Hana. This beach is deemed sacred by the Hawaiian people. Black Sand Beach gets its name from the lava that has been crushed by the ruff surf here for many many years. This was the place we chose to celebrate Erika’s birthday. Here on this sacred beach, we presented her with a lei as we sang Happy Birthday.

As we reach the end of this drive, we arrive in the town of Hana. Hana is Maui’s most sacred and secluded village. This town is so picturesque, it's what postcards all wish they could look like. Small family homes dot the roadside with lush palm trees, fruit trees, flowers, and ocean views to die for. I feel a bit jealous as we drive through this lovely part of the world. While we turn the jeep around to head back to where we started, I realize I'm no longer feeling jealous. The people that live here are truly blessed and I’m happy for them.

Napili Bay Resort

The second thing I'd like to share is the Napili Bay Resort. We stayed here in a lovely two bed ground floor condo that was basic and clean. We could have stayed somewhere more posh of course, maybe a place with a grand pool area. Nope, we wanted the ocean, sand, and surf outside our door. We’re in Hawaii after all. One can get a good pool area anywhere on the mainland, give us surf to manage through and waves that may take us down. Just because we are older doesn't mean we aren't strong enough to manage some waves, oh please. The golden sand beach with its clear water called to us. We spent full days just swimming in the ocean while cocktailing the day away (don’t judge us). With snorkel gear we were able to see many fish around the coral reef that lays along this small bay and the sunsets were nice from the shore line. This resort gets me excited to return to Maui and stay there again. It was simple. It was perfect.

Hawaiian Food

In my research I learned that Hawaiian food has been influenced by many cultures of people who came to Hawaii’s plantations to work. Hawaiian cuisine has also been referred to as a “style” of cooking. I call Hawaiian food fantastic. I love the sweet savory flavors as well as the grilling and roasting traditions that are applied to the food. We must not forget the sugary cocktails that may or may not be truly Hawaiian but have come to be associated with Hawaii. While on Maui you'll have no shortage of dining choices. My picks are not fine dining, my picks are everyday choices, except for the Mai Tai.

Huli Huli Chicken! Find some and eat some. This chicken is marinated in ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, honey, sesame oil……….and so much more. After marinating it’s grilled.

Anywhere you see big billows of smoke from a roadside grill you should just stop. This chicken is killer brah.

Banana Bread French Toast! Of all the Hawaiian Islands they are all aware that Maui’s banana bread is just the superior banana bread. On Maui they make this bread even more remarkable and make French Toast from it. Topping it with shaved coconut and thin pineapple slices before applying syrup. My goodness it’s so tasty. Banana Bread French Toast, it’s what's for breakfast.

The Gazebo Restaurant

This place is small and the line is large. The food portions are immense and the view is lovely. We ordered the famous Fried Rice as well as the Macadamia Nut Pancakes. We had plenty to eat and plenty to take back and eat again later. While eating here in the Gazebo, you will have to wave away the birds that try to sample your food. This may sound gross to some but I feel it just adds to the charm of the place and makes the Gazebo even memorable.

The last place I’d like to list has good food but I’m listing it for the Mai Tai. The Monkey Pod Kitchen in Whalers Village has a Mai Tai that I’m slightly infatuated with. I can’t stop thinking about the meringue type of foam that sits atop this wonderful fruity island drink. The foam is a house made lilikoi syrup that’s placed in a nitrous-oxide infuser and then BAM! It’s a fantasy come true for your palate. I’m not a liar when I say, I’ll go back to Maui just for this Mai Tai.

My girlfriends are easy to travel with and Maui was a wonderful place to celebrate a close friend’s birthday. It makes me look forward to our next monumental birthday celebration and I wonder where that birthday will lead us.

I love you Hazel and Erika.

Maui Girls Trip

Orcas Island

Solo Road Trip